Refrigeration method and apparatus



March 14, 1967 c. F. FRlTcH, JR.. ETAL 3,308,630

REFRIGERATION METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed July l, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,f 237; mw e Y /24 l v fs .g1 z3 F1 ,5 CARL |=.FR1TCH,JR,

gay-Q" wh Yg- DoNALo I. GILNA 4' @M 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 c. F.|Rrrc||, JR., ETAL REFRIGERATION METHOD AND APPARATUS March 14,1967

Filed July l, 1965 EiL .7 CARL F. FmTcH,JR.

DONALD I. C-lLNA March 14, 1967 c. F. FRl'rcH, JR., ETAL 3,308,630

REFR I GERAT I ON METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed July 1, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet :s

lf2-vento rs CARL F. FRl-rcH, JR. .DoNALD l. GILNA Mom-2 eg United States Patent O 3,308,636 REFRGERATION METHOD AND APPARATUS Carl F. Fritch, Jr., Glen Ellyn, and Donald I. Gilna, Park Ridge, lll., assignors to Chemetron Corporation, Chicago, lll., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 1, 1965, Ser. No. 468,874 1f) Claims. (Cl. 62-52) This invention relates to a method of refrigeration which is particularly adapted to use cold liquefied gas as a refrigerant and to apparatus for carrying out the method.

In accordance with the method of the invention, cold liquefied gas is passed to first and second spaced apart locations. Vaporization of such refrigerant is assisted by heat from within a compartment dened by wall structure. Vapor from the first location is passed in heat exchange relationship with the wall structure to the second location to assist in vaporization of cold liquefied gas at the second location, and vapor is passed from the second location in heat exchange relationship with the wall structure to the first location to assist in vaporization of cold liqueed gas at the first location. The vapors passing to the second location absorb heat from the wall structure with which they lare in heat transfer relationship and these warmed vapors give up heat at the second location are in turn cooled. These cooled vapors are then passed into heat exchange relationship with other of the wall structure. The vapor passing to the first location absorb heat from the wall structure with which they are in hea-t transfer relationship and these warmed vapors give up heat at the first location and are in turn cooled. These cooled vapors are then passed in heat transfer relationship with other of the wall structure.

For carrying out the method of the invention, there is provided apparatus having a network of passages in heat exchange relationship with internal wall structure -which forms a compartment, the internal wall structure being capable of efii-cient heat transfer, with the network of passages including spaced apart elongated first and second headers. Spaced apart first and second elongated vaporizers for vaporizing cold liquefied gas are disposed between and adjacent respective first and second headers. The network of passages includes spaced apart passages communicating with the first vaporizer and is constructed to pass vapor from the first vaporizer into heat exchange relationship with the second vaporizer and into the second header. The network of passages also includes spaced apart passages communicating with the second vaporizer and constructed to pass vapor from .the second vaporizer into heat exchange relationship with the first vaporizer and the first header. The network of passages also includes passages extending away from the first and second headers, respectively. Passage of vapor from the first vaporizer to the first header and from the second vaporizer to the second header is prevented.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a perspective diagrammatic view of refrigeration apparatus for carrying out the method of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view showing the arrangement and construction of the network of passages and its headers, together with related vaporizers;

FIGURE 3 is sectional View taken along line 3 3 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4 4 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE l, partly broken away to show the passages at the ceiling of the container in their 3,308,636 Patented Mar. 14, i967 cooperative relationship with their related vaporizers;

FIGURE 7 is a horizontal sectional view showing the arrangement of headers and passages at the floor of the container;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view showing in detail the construction of yone -of the vaporizers;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken along line 99 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View showing one end of one of the vaporizers;

FIGURE ll is a fragmentary sectional view showing the manner in which an outlet passage of one of the vaporizers communicates with a related passage;

FIGURE l2 illustrates one manner of forming insulated wall structure having channeling to provide flow paths for cold vapor of cold liquefied gas;

FIGURE 13 illustrates an alternative manner in which insulated wall structure can be formed;

FIGURE l4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing an alternative manner in which insulated wall structure can be formed; and

FIGURE l5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a manner in which an insulated channeled fioor of a compartment can be formed.

Referring now to the drawings, the refrigeration apparatus generally indicated at 20 has internal wall structure indicated at 21 having a ceiling 22 and a floor 23 joined by four walls 24. Spaced outwardly of the internal wall structure 24 is external wall structure or jacketing 26. Insulation material 27 disposed between the internal and external wall structures 24 and 26 serves to prevent heat transfer into a compartment 28 formed by the internal wall structure 24. A suitable closure (not shown) provides access to the compartment 28.

A network of passages generally indicated at 29 is shown to include passages 36 which communicate with a vaporizer 31 and passages 32 which communicate with the vaporizer 33. The passages 30 and 32 are disposed in an alternating, parallel, horizontal arrangement so that flow of vapor in adjacent passages 30 and 32 is in opposite directions. At least the part of the wall structure adjacent the network of passages 29 is -composed of material capable of efficient heat transfer such as aluminum, for example the ceiling 22, the floor 23 and two opposite walls 24.

A cylinder or other suitable container 34 for storing cold liquefied gas such as liquid nitrogen or liquid carbon dioxide is connected by a conduct assembly 35 to the vaporizers 31 and 33 which vaporize the cold liquefied gas and pass the resultant vapor into passages 30 and 32, respectively. The passages 3) extend to and partially around the vaporizer 33 and communicate with a common header 36, while the passages 32 extend to and partially around the vaporizer 31 and communicate with a common header 37. Substantially vertically extending parallel passages 38 communicate at their upper ends with the header 36 and at their lower endswith a common header 39, while vertically extending, parallel passages 4tl communicate at their upper ends with the header 37 and at their lower ends with a header 41. Parallel horizontal passages 42 communicate with the header 39 and an exhaust header 43, while parallel horizontal passages 44 communicate with the header 41 and the exhaust header 43. The spent vapor can be passed readily out of the network of passages 29, and in particular exhausted to the atmosphere, through a port 45.

The parallel passages adjacent the ceiling 22, two of the opposite walls 24, and the fioor 23 are shown to be the same in number. Due to the fact that headers 36, 37, 39

headers, and

and 41 are provided, the passages 30 can be misaligned with the passages 38, the passages 38 can be misaligned with the passages 42, the passages 32 can be misaligned with the passages 40 and the passages 40 can be misaligned with the passages 44. Thus, sets of passages 30, 3S, 4t), 42 and 44 and sets of passages 32, 38, 49, 42 and 44 need not lie in planes.

The vaporizers 31 and 33 are made up in sections A and A identical in construction and hence only one, namely the vaporizer 33, is shown in detail in FIGURES 8 through 11. Each section A and A of the vaporizer 33 includes a conduit 46 which is circular in cross section and is connected to the conduit assembly 35. Conduit 46 is disposed inside a larger conduit 47 which is rectangular in cross section. The hat lower side 4S of the conduit 47 rests on the ceiling 22 to provide direct heat transfer relationship between the vaporizer 33 and its related passages 32. The conduit 46 is held generally medially of the conduit 47 by spacers 50. The spacers 50 are somewhat X-shaped and enable the transfer and hence even distribution of both the refrigerant liquid and its vapor externally of the conduit 46 and internally of the conduit 47. Opposed marginal ends ot the conduits 46 and 47 are rigidly secured to each other by end plates 51 welded or brazed to the conduits 46 and 47.

The conduit 46 has spaced apart orices 52 and the conduit 47 has spaced apart orifices 53. The orices 52 are suiiciently small to elect substantially uniform distribution of liquid refrigerant to the inside of the outer conduit 47 and a substantial pressure drop and the orifices 53 are suiciently small to effect a substantial pressure drop.

The conduit 46 is longer than the conduit 47 between the end plates 51 so as to be ynon-linear at room teniperature.

Due to the fact that the outer conduits 47 of the vaporizers 31 and 33 expand and contract due to changes in temperature and to avoid loss of registration between oriiices 53 of the vaporizers 31 and 33 and respective passages 30 and 32, each of the passages 3Q and 32 is provided with a fan-shaped entrance portion 54, only one of which is shown in detail, into which the respective orice 53 opens. Should the outer conduit 47 shiftrelative to the passage 32 due to expansion or contraction, the orifice 53 will still communicate with the passage 32 because the tan-shaped portion 54 is wide enough to accommodate for such expansion or contraction. Normally closed valves V can be opened to cause passage of vapor of cold liquefied gas from corner passages of the sets of passages 3S and 40 into the compartment 2S. As the oriiices 53 open directly into passages 36 and 32 and as there is no communication between the passages 30, or the vaporizer 31, and the header 37, or between passages 32, or the vaporizer 33, and the header 36, vapor formed by the Y vaporizer 31 must pass into heat exchange relationship with the vaporizer 33 and vapor formed by the vaporizer 33 must pass into heat exchange relationship with the vaporizer 31. The portion 27 of the insulation material 27 situated between the vaporizer 31 and header 37, and between the vaporizer 33 andthe header 36, serves to block passage of vapor.

Referring now to FIGURE 12 of the drawings, thereV is shown insulated wall structure generally indicated at 60. The wall structure 60 is shown to include an inner panel 61 composed of a material capable of eicien-t heat transfer, a panel 62 composed of any suitable preformed substantially rigid insulating material and disposed in face-to-face contact with the panel 61, and a panel 63 disposed in spaced apart relationship with respect to the panel 62 to provide a mold space 64 shown to be filled with insulation material 65 which can be either poured, expanded or cast into the mold cavity 64 when the insulation material is of a type which expands during formation, as for example expandable polystyrene foam. The panel 62 can also be composed of foam insulation which can be precut to form spaced apart, parallel channels 66. With the panel 61 disposed in face-to-face contact with the panel 62 the channels 66 provide ow paths or passages for conducting cold liquefied gas vapor. Although in FIGURE 12 only a fragmentary portion of a Wall and a floor are shown, it is to be understood that this arrangement of panels and insulation can be employed in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 11.

Referring now to the embodiment of FIGURE 13 the same reference characters are employed as in FIGURE l2 for the same components with the addition of letter a. Instead of a panel of precut insulation material such as indicated at 62 in FIGURE 12 a preformed sheet of metallic material such as aluminum sheet material 67 has spaced apart parallel channels 68.

Referring now to the embodiment of FIGURE 14, there is shown insulated wall structure generally indicated at 70. The insulated wall structure 76 includes an inner panel 71 which is shown to have inwardly extending spaced apart parallel channels 72. Spaced from the panel 71 is a panel 73. Disposed between the panel 73 and in face-to-face contact Vwith the panel 71 is a panel 74 of preformed insulation material. The panel 74 has opposed fiat faces 7S. Y

Referring now to FIGURE V15 of the drawings, there is shown a oor structure for a compartment having a oor 8() adapted to support a load, an outer Astructure or jacket 31, and insulation material 82 disposed between the wall structures 8i) and 81. Spaced apart I-beams 83 support a plate or panel S3', which in turn supports a panel 84 having a plurality of channels 8S and the floor Si?. The floor 8l) restsagainst and is supported by lands 86 of the panel 84. The channels 85 formed by the panel 84 are used for the conduction of cold liquejiied gas.

To operate the apparatus, a valve V in the conduit assembly 35 is opened and cold liquid refrigerant such as liqueed nitrogen is passed to the vaporizers 31 and 33. Some vaporization of the refrigerant will take place down stream of the valve V inthe conduit assembly 35 and in the inner conduits 46 of thevaporizers 31 and 33 when the valve V is opened. Such vaporization will cause pressure to be built up in the conduit 46 Vof each vaporizer 31 and 33, and vapor and some liquid refrigerant will pass through oriiices 52 into the outer conduit 47. Liquid refrigerant passing through orifices 52 may gravitate onto the bottom 48 of the conduit 47 and be vaporized by yheat from within the compartment 28. The orifices 52'` are small enough toV provide a pressure drop for the liquid to prevent the liquid refrigerant from gushing into the outer conduit 47. Vapor in the outer conduits 47 will pass through orifices 53 and into the respective passages 3@ and 32. rPhe rate of passage of vapor through the orifices 53 increases as the pressurel in the outer conduit increases, and vice versa.

The inner conduit 46 lis rapidly cooled by the liquid refrigerant received from the conduit assembly 35 so that shortly after the apparatus is started in operation the entire, or substantially the entire, inner conduit is filled with liquid. The vapor of cold liqueed gasV passes into heat exchange relationship wit-h the ceiling 22 of the wall structure 21. The ceiling 22 which is in heat exchange relationship with the compartment 23 absorbs heat from the compartment 28 and the vaporsV in the passages 3i) and 32 are consequently warmed. The warmed vapor passing through the passages 3) then reaches the vaporizer 33 and is cooled by the vaporizer 33, thereby giving up heat to the vaporizer 33 to effect vaporization of liquid refrigerantV in the outer conduit 47 of the vaporizer 33. Thus, liquid refrigerant is vaporized in the vaporizer 33 by heat derived both from the compartment and from the warm vapor passing through the passages 30. The passa-ges 30 extend partially around the vaporizer 33 and communicate with the header 36. The vapor in the header 36 has been cooled and eifects heat exchange with the walls 24 of the Wall structure 21 as it passes downwardly in passages 38 to the header 39 and throu-gh the passages 42 to the header 43. The warm vapor passing through the passages 32 then reaches the vaporizer 31 and is cooled by the vaporizer 31, thus giving up heat to the vaporizer 31 to effect vaporization of liquid refrigerant in the outer conduit 47 of the vaporizer 31. Thus, liquid refrigerant is vaporized in the vaporizer 31 `by heat derived both from the compartment and from the warm vapor passing through the passages 32. The passages 30 extend partially around the vaporizer 31 and communicate with the header 36. The vapors in the header have been cooled and effect heat exchange with the walls of the wall structure 21 as they pass downwardly to the header and through the passages 42 to the header 43. Spent vapors are vented from the header 43 through the port 45 to the atmosphere.

During operation, only a small quantity of liquid refrigerant may be required to be passed to the vaporizers 31 and 33 in order to keep the compartment 2S at the desired temperature. Consequently, some vaporization of the cold liquefied gas may take place in the conduits 46 of respective vaporizers 31 and 33. Vapor yformed in the conduits 46 can pass into the conduits 47 through orifices S2.

Other embodiments and modifications of this invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and all such of these as come within the spirit of this invention are included within its scope as best defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Method of refrigerating a compartment or container including walls, comprising the steps of: vaporizing cold liquefied gas at separate and distinct spaced first and second locations by heat from the compartment, passing the resultant cold vapor from the first location in heat exchange relationship with one of the walls to the second location to assist in vaporization of cold liquefied gas at the second location, passing the vapor cooled at the second location in heat exchange relationship with a different wall, passing the resultant cold vapor from the second location in heat exchange relationship with different portions of said one wall to the first location to assist in vaporization of cold liquefied gas at the first location, and passing the vapor cooled at the first location in heat exchange relationship a still different wall.

2. Method of making insulated wall structure having a fiow path for a heat exchange medium, comprising the steps of: providing first, second and third panels, one of said first and second panels being provided with a channel, disposing the first and second panels in face-to-face contact with respect to each other so that a fiow path for a heat exchange medium is formed, positioning the third panel in spaced apart relation with respect to the second panel, and expanding insulation in the space between. the second and third panels while preventing the second and third panels from being moved apart by the expanding insulation.

3. Refrigeration apparatus, comprising: a container having wall structure forming a compartment, first and second vaporizers in heat exchange relationship with the compartment for vaporizing cold liquefied gas, and spaced apart passages adjacent said wall structure and spanning the distance between said first and second vaporizers, said first vaporizer having openings communicating with some of said passages and said second vaporizer, said second vaporizer having openings communicating with other of said passages and said first vaporizer, so that resultant cold vapor from said first vaporizer absorbs heat from said compartment and from said second vaporizer and resultant cold vapor from said second vaporizer absorbs heat from said compartment and from said first vaporizer.

4. Refrigeration apparatus, comprising: a container having wall structure forming a compartment, first and second vaporizers in heat exchange relationship with the compartment for vaporizing cold liquefied gas, first and secon-d spaced apart passages adjacent said wall structure and spanning the distance between said first and second vaporizers, said first vaporizer having openings communicating with said first passages, said second vaporizer having openings communicating with said second passages, so that resultant cold vapor from said first vaporizer absorbs heat from said compartment and said second vaporizer and resultant cold vapor from said second vaporizer absorbs heat from said compartment and said first vaporizer, other spaced apart passages adjacent said wall structure, communicating with and extending away from said first and second passages, and means for venting spent vapor out of said other spaced apart passages.

5. Refrigeration apparatus, comprising: a container having internal structure forming a compartment, said internal structure having a ceiling, a floor, and walls joining said ceiling and fioor, said ceiling, fioor and at least two opposite walls being composed of material capable of efficient heat transfer, external structure spaced about said internal structure, insulation disposed between said internal and external structures, rst and second vaporizers disposed on opposite sides of and in heat exchange relationship with the ceiling, a first set of passages adjacent said ceiling communicating with said first vaporizer and extending to direct vapor into heat exchange relationship with said second vaporizer, passages adjacent one of said walls communicating with said first set of ceiling passages, a second set of passages adjacent said ceiling communicating with said second vaporizer and to direct vapor into heat exchange realtionship with said first vaporizer, and passages adjacent another of said walls communicating with said second set of ceiling passages and means for passing the vapors from said wall pas sages in heat exchange relationship with the fioor of said compartment, and thereafter venting said vapors to the atmosphere.

6. Refrigeration apparatus, comprising: a container having internal structure forming a compartment, a network of spaced apart passages in heat exchange relationship with said internal structure, said network of passages including spaced apart elongated first and second headers, and spaced apart vaporizers for vaporizing cold liquefied gas disposed between and adjacent respective first and second headers, said network of passages including spaced apart passages communicating with said first vaporizer and constructed to pass vapor from said first vaporizer into heat exchange relationship with said second ond header, said network of passages including spaced apart passages communicating with said second vaporizer and constructed to pass vapor from said second vaporizer into heat exchange relationship with said first vaporizer and into said first header, said network of passages including passages extending away from said first and second headers, respectively.

7. Refrigeration apparatus as claimed in claim 6, including means for preventing vapor formed in said first vaporizer from passing into said first header, and means for preventing vapor formed in said second vaporizer from passing into said second header.

8. Refrigeration apparatus, comprising: a container having structure forming a compartment, said structure composed of material capable of efiicient heat transfer, passages adjacent said structure externally of said compartment, a vaporizer for vaporizing cold liquefied gas and having a first elongated conduit and a second elongated conduit spaced about said first conduit, said first conduit having first metering orifices disposed along its length, said second conduit having second orifices spaced along its length and communicating with said passages, said vaporizer or said passages being in heat exchange relationship with said structure.

9. Refrigeration apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first orifices are sufficiently small to effect first and second elongated vaporizer and into said sec- I substantially uniform distribution of liquid refrigerant to the inside of said second conduit and a substantial pressure drop, and said second orices are sufficiently small to effect a substantial pressure drop.

i0. Refrigeration apparatus, comprising: a container having structure forming a compartment, said structure composed of material capable of ecient heat transfer, passages adjacent said structure, a vaporizer for Vaporizing cold liquefied gas and having a rst elongated conduit and a second elongated conduit disposed about said first conduit and communicating with said passages adjacent said structure, spaced apart means for securing the marginal ends of said first and second conduits to each other, said rst conduit being longer than said second conduit between said spaced apart securing means so as to be nonlinear at room temperature, orice means in said lirst conduit for conducting cold liqueed gas into said second conduit, and orifice means in said second conduit for conducting resultant vapor into said passages, said vaporizer or said passages being inheat exchange relationship with said structure.

References Cited by the Examiner l UNITED STATES PATENTS 966,076 8/1910 Bobrick 62--45 X 2,479,867 8/1949 Rosebaugh 62-514 X 2,751,882 6/1956 Coyner 62-64 X 2,850,882 9/1958 Starnes 62-52 2,958,204 ll/1960 Spaulding 2-I-52 X 3,091,096 5/1963 Rendos et ai. 62-52 X 3,093,974 6/l963 Templer et al. 62--52 X 3,096,626 7/1963 Morrison v62--64 3,127,755 4/1964 Hernery 62--267 3,241,329 3/1966 Fritch et al. 62-267 LLOYD L. KING, Primary Examiner. 

1. METHOD OF REFRIGERATING A COMPARTMENT OR CONTAINER INCLUDING WALLS, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: VAPORIZING COLD LIQUEFIED GAS AT SEPARATE AND DISTINCT SPACED FIRST AND SECOND LOCATIONS BY HEAT FROM THE COMPARTMENT, PASSING THE RESULTANT COLD VAPOR FROM THE FIRST LOCATION IN HEAT EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE OF THE WALLS TO THE SECOND LOCATION TO ASSIST IN VAPORIZATION OF COLD LIQUEFIED GAS AT THE SECOND LOCATION, PASSING THE VAPOR COOLED AT THE SECOND LOCATION IN HEAT EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP WITH A DIFFERENT WALL, PASSING THE RESULTANT COLD VAPOR FROM THE SECOND LOCATION IN HEAT EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP WITH DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF SAID ONE WALL TO THE FIRST LOCATION TO ASSIST IN VAPORIZATION OF COLD LIQUEFIED GAS AT THE FIRST LOCATION, AND PASSING THE VAPOR COOLED AT THE FIRST LOCATION IN HEAT EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP A STILL DIFFERENT WALL. 